We’re all eager to find a viable solution to reduce greenhouse emissions without ruining the economy, but coal probably ain’t it right now.

Clean coal is nothing but “a joke,” according to Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. And the reasons to believe him are compelling, turning ex-coal hopefuls like me against this apparent fraud in the alternative-fuel biz. And despite ample buzz surrounding the idea of clean coal as a pristine energy source, prominent nature defenders such as Greenpeace shun the pursuit of coal as an answer to our climate-change problem. Looking beyond the hype, it’s pretty easy to see why coal’s squeaky-clean image is only a facade.

Here’s the theory behind clean coal: Coal is the dirtiest form of energy that exists, but by limiting emissions you can reduce the pollution. To achieve this, you can “scrub” away noxious impurities like sulfur, which causes acid rain when burned, and then build plants that capture greenhouse gasses as the coal burns in order to prevent them from entering the atmosphere. Another option is to avoid coal combustion altogether in favor of a gasification process that uses oxygen and steam, no burning required.

This all sounds pretty good, right? Unfortunately, environmental experts smell a wolf in sheep’s clothing. First of all, the technology for carbon capture and gasification simply isn’t there, despite billions of dollars worth of research. Brune notes that the capturing process we’re working on is too expensive, uses massive amounts of energy and requires the construction of new plants just to trap the emissions from existing ones—not exactly efficient. Plus, the very act of mining coal is highly destructive, often involving the removal of entire mountaintops. Not cool.

The truth is that coal has powerful lobbyists spending tens of millions of dollars to convince us and Congress that clean coal is the answer, says Greenpeace. Lobbyists run alluring ads on TV during prime viewing times, omitting the fact that coal burning produces mercury contamination in addition to air pollution, literally spewing carcinogens. Coal already produces about half of our electricity, which is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

The good news is that we don’t have to look far for better alternatives. Brune endorses natural gas as a “bridge fuel” until we find a better solution—which could even prove to be coal if we discover safe and effective extraction and burning options. As plentiful as natural gas is in the United States, this option makes sense until technology catches up with our needs.

Smaller-scale renewable options also work well for certain communities. The Natural Resources Defense Council pushes wind energy, solar energy, hydropower, geothermal energy and offshore tidal energy where they’re possible. Farmers can even produce energy using gases from animal waste—I assume they remove the smell.

With all the options out there, clean coal just doesn’t make sense right now. With luck, technology will find a way to make coal sustainable; but until that happens, we’re better off looking elsewhere to solve our energy needs.

image: gynti_46

The post The Dirt on Clean Coal: Looking Beyond the Alternative Fuel Hype appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ford hopes to electrify consumers as they look to plug-ins over the pump.

It’s hard to compete with Chevrolet and those sexy new ads for the $32,780 Volt voiced by George Clooney. But Ford argues the game plan isn’t really about competition, but rather cooperation when it comes to its soon-to-be released Focus and other electric vehicles. At least this is the message being delivered by John Viera, Director of Sustainable Business Strategies for Ford as he hits events throughout the country to sell the plug-in revolution to drivers facing nearly $4 per gallon at the pumps.

“Collaboration is key and we are partnering with Microsoft, interfacing with utility companies and working together to educate consumers about developing batteries and other technology to bring down the costs,” Viera shared at the recent San Francisco Green Festival. “No one has one piece of magic above anyone else.”

While there is no piece of magic in terms of making the technology, there are edges in making the technology available to motorists to wean them off of fuel. Infrastructure is the operative term in cultivating a plug-in culture.  And it’s evident that Israel has taken the helm with its start-up Better Place, a maker of electric cars that will launch a highway charging enterprise later this year, allowing its drivers to travel anywhere in Israel with a battery range of 100 miles. As with refueling for gas, if they set off from Tel Aviv to the Red Sea they can pull into a Better Place station and swap a low battery for a fully charged one in five minutes. How will motorists know where to find  parking lots with blue-topped charging posts? Try the GPS screen on their dashboards.

While looking to U.S. municipalities to expedite the same kind of access to motorists, Ford is revamping a variety of vehicles in its fleet, preparing to roll out the plug-in Focus in 2012 in the U.S  and Europe, debuting in regions it refers to as “smile states” like Seattle and California where conscious consumers have been quick to adopt the hybrid concept. The current pricing is from about $17,000 to $24,000, considerably less than the Volt plug-in hybrid, a popular choice that reportedly goes 30 days and 1,000 miles between fill ups.

Abroad, Ford’s vehicles now cater to current trends such as ethanol a top choice in Brazil, and diesel, a popular option in Europe. In the meantime, Ford has redesigned its Michigan plant to ideally become a state of the art lab for producing battery operated vehicles of all kinds.

“We want to offer a choice and show there are different ways to have electric,” says Viera, pointing out that Ford’s strategy for keeping costs down is to stick new bodies or “top hats” on an existing platform allowing any one of their vehicles to become electric, from commercial trucks to the Taurus with a quick assembly changeover. “We’re all about high end affordable transportation and the next generation of transit comes off the same platform as the Focus.”

Beyond the bodies, Viera admits that sustainable parts and the instrumentation are also key in easing consumer anxieties over range and resources, including recycled, eco-friendly upholstery and corn-based head rests, along with software instruments on the dashboard for customer feedback, such as Butterflies or various phone apps alerting drivers to how much power remains on their batteries. He says mass marketing must answer the needs of the mainstream with partnering services such as the Best Buy Geek Squad, coming out to install charging equipment in the garages of electric car customers.

“Eventually, all auto companies will have charging stations and Mapquest and other sites will tell you where to go to find them,” says Viera, pointing out the biggest challenges ahead are reducing charge times (now three to four hours for 340 volts), cutting down costs of cars and lithium batteries, and how to properly dismantle and dispose of batteries. There’s even the matter of controlling electro pollution smog by shielding the radiation of vehicles, something Ford tests regularly to meet high standards in regions like the Middle East.

After all, the Middle East is the place to beat in terms of advances. As Shai Agassi, founder of Better Place told Time, the electric car will be the top selling car in the world in less than a decade offering “the biggest financial opportunity the world has ever seen presenting a $10 trillion shift in the industry. “It’s the Internet, and add another zero,” Agassi calculates.

He predicts ordinary Israelis will be driving the Turkish-made Renault Fluence Z.E. sedan as early as November depending on the price of the cars and the costs of charging, the same factors Ford must consider in making electric palpable to consumers tired of paying $70 to fill up. After the car purchase, innovators are now looking to the cell phone rate plan as a model for battery subscriptions, as in Denmark, where the fee is equivalent to $300 a month for mileage of 6,200 miles. A one-time fee of $2,000 also is charged.

Of course this kind of fee is minimal when you consider that in Israel and Denmark, gas is an astronomical $9 a gallon. When the U.S. sees those kinds of prices at the pumps (as Donald Trump promises we will), that financial opportunity Aggasi described will really hit home, and companies like Ford will be glad they began revamping now to meet the anticipated demand.

Images: Ford; Better Place;

The post Ford Revamps Fleet for the Plug-In Revolution appeared first on EcoSalon.

Tips for saving money on gas.

Gas prices are going up, again, and they might not be going down anytime soon. In the short term it’s painful, but in the long term, it may well be a useful reality check. High prices serve as a good motivator for all of us to be mindful of fuel conservation and reduce our own carbon emissions, saving money while we’re at it. Here are 11 ways you can conserve gas on the road, at home, and while you play.

Beware of public transportation. If you have a good public transportation system, by all means, use it. However, the good news is – more people will be using it. The bad news is – more people will be using it. State and federal budgets have been taking a beating, so that means that public transportation systems have had their share of cuts. The American Public Transportation Association has warned Congress that transportation systems could be overloaded if gas prices continue to rise. More funds for public transportation systems are more important now than ever, so start writing your politicians. In the interim, carpooling is another good option, and it goes without saying, drive a car with the best gas mileage that suits your budget and your needs.

Make friends with a mechanic. For those who do not have a public transportation system, no good bike path system, and have to drive – the first step is to make sure your car is in good condition. Correct tire pressure, clean air filters, wheel alignment and good general car maintenance will optimize your gas mileage.

Lose some weight. Get rid of any excess items you are carrying around in your vehicle. Extra weight makes your car work harder and use more gas. Also lose the sports racks, luggage boxes, and any other accessory that creates drag on your car when you aren’t using them.

Learn to (eco)drive. Back to driver’s education class, everyone. Give up your jackrabbit starts, quick braking, variable speeds, and just plain speeding. Embrace the posted speed limit, use cruise control whenever possible, and choose routes that have fewer stops and starts even if they are a little longer distance.

Wear deodorant. Lots of it. Summer is coming, and with it hot temperatures. While late model cars are pretty efficient, running your air conditioning can consume up to 20% more gas, so use the 4-40 rule. When driving under 40 m.p.h, roll down your (four) windows and feel the breeze. Driving over 40 m.p.h. increases the drag on your car (negating any benefit from not using your air conditioning), so roll the windows up and use your air conditioning sparingly. If you really want to avoid any impact on your fuel efficiency, drive with the windows up, the air conditioning off, and use your air vents.

Hone your time management skills. Condense all your errands into one trip on one day, instead of going out multiple days. Also, buy your gas in the early mornings or evenings when it’s cooler. Cooler gas is denser, so you get more for your money (the pump only measures volume).

Cut off ties to activities more than 10 miles away. Find things to do nearby instead. Ones that you can walk or bike to are even better. Learn to love your neighborhood and your town.

Vote for your town to build more bike paths. As much as we need better and extended public transportation, a plan to build more bike paths is a good idea in the long-term, too. Biking or walking is healthier and does more to alleviate carbon emissions than even taking public transportation. Currently, in many places, biking is simply too dangerous to be a good method of transportation. Wider road shoulders and sidewalks, paved bike trails and a refresher course of road rules regarding right-of-way for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers are all good ideas.

Let your grass grow. Buck the neighborhood association rules and consider some natural landscaping. If you must have a manicured lawn, take stock of your power tool inventory. Before you get out your power mower, leaf blower, edger, and other gas-driven yard implements, consider replacing them with manual tools. Buy a push mower and use hand clippers, a rake, and a manual edger and you can get a workout, have a beautiful yard, save on gas and lower emissions.

Don’t go into the office. If your work permits it and your boss can be persuaded, work from home when you can.

Rethink your recreation. Gas-powered boats, jet-skis, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and recreational vehicles are all popular forms of entertainment, but it might be time to change how we spend our free time and look for non-gas-powered alternatives. Some of those weekend activities could become prohibitively expensive this summer.

image: Don Hankins

The post 11 Ways to Save at the Pump appeared first on EcoSalon.

Drive small and thrive might well be the European motto. Green actions speak louder than words in Europe when it comes to energy and consumption and walking the walk. They ride bikes and walk more than we do to get around, use and waste less of our limited resources, have a different sense of space. Just don’t throw around terms like green and eco expecting everyone there to know what you mean.

Throughout my travels in Italy, the term “eco” got lost in translation – and I resorted to hand signs and terms such as nature and sun power to investigate the Italian practices or describe what I do for a living. Still, many signs show Europeans have as beat when it comes to practicing restraint in their lifestyles and consumption.

It could simply stem from resources like water and petrol being considered more precious. As a college student in England, I was told my gin and tonics lacked ice because freezing water for cocktails was frivolous. I suppose this also explained the dull hair many of us have witnessed in our European travels. Fewer showers are another concession to save. In this sense, French cologne is indispensable and might also be lauded as green.

Also woven into the culture is smaller, more economical cars and homes, due to population density, higher fuel costs and necessity. Honda Civics might be considered an adequate family car – not the minivan, which would be more for tourists. If you aren’t walking, biking or taking public transit, as more Europeans do as a matter of practicality and habit, then you are most likely tooting around in a compact (although power counts in certain circles where larger BMWs hold status).

“Whether in crowded cities like Rome or Budapest, or centuries-old villages, people get around on their own power,” notes eco travel writer, Wendy Worrall Redal. “It’s easier than negotiating jammed streets, finding scarce parking and paying $10 a gallon for gas. Age has nothing to do with it; you’re as likely to see a wrinkled grandmother toting a wheeled market cart or pedaling her cruiser, as you are more youthful cyclists.”

Here are some comparisons:

Banning Cosmetic Chemicals

Activists trying to rid our shelves and salons of toxic chemicals point to the fact the European Union has banned 1,100 chemicals in cosmetics, while the  Food and Drug Administration in America has only banned ten. The nasty agents the FDA approves cause cancer, birth defects, genetic mutation and organ damage. It appears our regulatory system has no authority to test cosmetic chemicals or require companies to conduct safety testing before selling. Definitions also vary. The FDA defines cosmetics on vague lingo to minimizing government interference form profiteering, while the The European Union Cosmetics Directive clearly puts thee health of the consumer first. Why are their laws more stringent? Undoubtedly the same reason why the government is loose on meat protections. It’s all about the money.

Cleaner Vino

First, there is the innate friendliness bred into the land. France was the first country to introduce anything remotely close to our concept of “organic” wine. Vineyards of the Loire region that involve small, organically-farmed estates, avoided pesticides as a matter of conscience to produce their grapes at a time Americans were pushing baby formula and frozen dinners. Beyond the spraying, is the transport of the bottle. A study analyzing wine carbon suggests East Coasters (New Yorkers and Miamians) are better off buying a Bordeaux than a Napa-based wine because the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping are far less than those from trucking.

Reduced Aviation Emissions

Speaking of transport, the European Union has led the way in reducing aviation emissions through its cap-and-trade system for carbon dioxide. Starting in 2012, all international flights landing in the Union must meet regulations capping emissions at 97 percent of the baseline (95 percent by 2012). The plan called for airlines with carbon shortfalls to purchase additional permits from European markets. Meanwhile, airport operator BAA has invested $1.65 billion on a green makeover of its terminal Heathrow East to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent. As the new home of Star Alliance Airlines, the upgrades involve solar panels on the roof, north-facing windows for natural lighting, and a new energy center using renewable resources for heat and air.

Eating and Drinking Less, Without Disposables

I will never forget a Weight Watchers meeting in which a member brought in a biscuit from England, saying they don’t supersize their teas with ginormous American-size chocolate chip cookies. The fact Europeans consume less food and walk more means they don’t struggle with diets the way Americans do. They also shun to-go cups, even at panini or espresso bars where if you need a paper cup to dash out, then you are clearly in too much of a hurry. Pasta isn’t piled sky high on a plate, but often served in an appetizer size portions, unless requested otherwise by an American. Again, the concept less is more is ingrained in the mentality – the same one that prefers quality over quantity. Sure, they smoke like fiends, but that’s another story.

Euro Trash: Switzerland Scores High on Recycling, While Europe As a Whole Lags

While there is a tendency to use less, Europe on the whole does seem to be lagging behind in the areas of recycling and composting trash. The BBC reported only 17.7 percent  of England’s households recycle, while the U.S recycles 28 percent of its waste. Still, Switzerland stands out as one country that is making strides, recycling 80 percent of its PET bottle drink containers, higher than the European average of 20 to 40 percent. The Swiss incentive is not just environmental, but also financial, since recycling is free while all trash bags require a sticker that cost one euro apiece. Without the stickers, trash will be left out to rot.

Images: pedrosimoes; Uggboy; idhren; my pouss; Mariamonastery; Kecko

The post The Top 5 Reasons Why Europeans Are More Eco Than Americans appeared first on EcoSalon.

We wish more of you in the spotlight would bask in the green light, including Olympic poster boys, platinum-capped rappers and Hollywood idols who consume our fascination. What they own, where they live, what they drive, what they wear, what they eat: It drives our popular culture.

Imagine the potential impact of the young and wasteful who make the choice to get on board the eco movement beyond peddling torn tights and alternative energy fluids like Red Bull.

True, not every ingenue puts herself on the line, like Hayden Panettiere, who traveled to the Japanese village of Taiji to protest the dolphin slaughter. And not every handsome screen idol can fill Leo’s shoes, lending his support to countless causes, like the upcoming Christie’s International Green Auction to raise mega bucks for four non-profit environmental organizations.

We don’t judge the slackers harshly because, well, the dangling adverts and chauffeured SUVs are hard to pass up. But we urge the following stars to try out for a more worthwhile role, that of sustainable spokesperson for a hurting planet.

Shaun White Red Bull and Target Line: Adverts Not Medal-Worthy

The world’s best uber-snowboarder and top money maker can make a huge dent by being more selective about endorsements, promoting healthy, sustainable products. But Shaun White has aligned himself as an extreme Red Bull energy drinker (should we drink it to board like him?) and a line of boy’s wear at Target to name a few. Some of the garments are cotton (and not organic) but the sweats contain a lot of plastic polyester. This would have been a great chance to score a green eco line, a hot move for sure. After all, his Target advert made the screen at Times Square. That’s power!

Sean Kingston: My Super 18 Reflective of Phat-Pack Lavish Cribs and Bling

The five pound gold watch says it’s time for Sean to green his act. Perhaps a casualty of MTV Cribs and other entertainment flaunting the lavish lives of the rich and blung, the rapper’s idea of  a birthday is staging a Super 18 bash at Jungle Beach in Jamaica with his entourage, iced in $100,000 of new jewelry and adding a new car to his fleet. The native of Kingston could do so much more to send the right message. Conspicuous consumption? Zzz.

Lindsay Lohan Has Holes in Her Eco Story

Perpetually in trouble (last stint was falling into a patch of succulents), Lohan is adding hand bags to her questionable 6126 fashion line, which also includes green leggings. She needs to go the way of Project Runway’s Leeann Marshall and others who are investing in green that is more sustainable than trashy. In this case, Mama may actually know best because Dina Lohan launched an eco-friendly toothbrush that might get more support that the 6126 hose. Lohan should really get on board the green bus with true commitment, forgoing the junk food and drugs and getting healthy to set an example for her fans.

Miley Cyrus Needs to Deliver that Eco Line without Inconsistencies

“I’m a vegetarian but I hate vegetables and eat pasta everyday,” she was quoted saying, as thousands of young fans listed with baited breath. Great. One day she is reaching out to recruit green teens. The next she is swapping out her Toyotoa Prius for a Mercedes SUV. Ecorazzi says Miley blames the recall but the truth is her dog outgrew the hybrid. This is a mega rich, red hot star who has cashed in on her Hanah Montana products – most of them cheesy polyester girl’s wear sold at Sears, Walmart, Macy’s and other big box stores. Even her Target bedding (what kids breathe in nightly), is filled with toxic textiles. Why not use the good stuff, Miley? You would be even richer when it comes to promoting healthy living.

Team Beckham: Gas-Guzzling Cars, Real Estate, Mega Miles, Sugar Adverts, $1.5 million Shopping Sprees

One critic of the soccer star went so far as to accuse him of “causing global warming.” That’s because the family man (Victoria and three little forwards), reportedly among other accusations, owns a fleet of 15 cars (including an Escalade) and racked up more than 250,000 frequent flier miles last year. And he can spend the money he earns to bend. According to MSN, he spent a cool three grand to fly his pampered bulldog pup in luxury from England to Beverly Hills through a VIP service that included special care. He also has endorsed high sugar products, a no-no for athletes and greenies alike. Then again, wife Victoria is said to own $2 million in Hermes Birkin bags, and reportedly dropped $1.5 million shopping for a single season in Milan, claiming “shopping is like a drug.” Yep, that’s why most of us stay away from Via Montenapoleone when in Milan.

Images: alacoolb, Style News, Ecorazzi, Infobarrtell, Addict, Hauteliving

The post Lifestyles of the Young and Clueless: 5 Celebs We Wish Would Green Up appeared first on EcoSalon.

Trade in your SUV for a hybrid? Now that’s a stretch for many drivers who are hooked on the notion that more is more, even in the age of doomed resources.

Why is it that well informed, nice people refuse to pull the plug on those ubiquitous waste wagons, despite poor gas mileage and environmental concerns?

The valid eco argument rubs up against a strong attachment to the behemoth breed at every turn as America keeps on trucking. People feel good having them in the garage, owning one after another, perhaps scaling down with a “hybrid” sport ute but not going cold turkey.

It’s a pernicious addiction flaunted in outdoorsy states like California, Arizona and Colorado, where the boxy cars dominate the parking lots of public beaches, shopping malls and ski resorts. Hey, they’re super suburban and sporty, can hold a family of five to eight extremely comfortably, and can’t be beat for schlepping unruly, drooling pets. And don’t forget the winning outcome in bumper-to-bumper combat with puny Smart Cars and other precocious upstarts.

The benefits keep consumers from succumbing to pressure levied by anti-SUV groups like Greener Cars.org, who have galvanized movements against what they deride as “Land Bruisers” and “Extinctions,” spreading slogans like “SUV’s Suck!” I spoke with some of these critics, along with owners to understand the mega car mindset.

There are many obvious and hidden reasons good people won’t buck the truck:

1.Versatility

You can dress the trucks up or down. They handle like cars but have truck qualities. This is what attracts Rob Raznick, a childless, L.A. real estate developer with three horses and three dogs who has owned five super-sized SUV’s. “You’re mixing luxury with utility, cargo, space and amenities for sure,” Raznick says. “I can take my Navigator to the finest restaurant in the evenings with seven people, then put saddles in it the next morning and hook my horse trailer to it and go off road. ”

2. Safety and Security

Sitting high up, looking down on people, not hearing the road or other cars. The stereo is on – the preferred soundtrack to life – and the kids are quietly seated in the back watching a DVD. “It feels like a comfortable couch or easy chair, a safe family room on wheels with that video player, phone and coffee holder, and that’s why one of the biggest ones by Chevy was called the Suburban,” observes consumer activist Ed Lamar. “But it’s like feeling secure because you have nuclear weapons. It is a false sense since they are not safe or secure.”

3. Great for Kids

How many kids can you fit in your car for soccer practice? SUV moms sometimes say eight, while many of us can only fit four. Carpool duty, built-in DVD players and getting those baby carriers easily in and out are among the big lures for parents who opt for the vehicles. Although Janelle Ticktin, a mom of two, says it isn’t as much the kids but the curbs. She can drive up to them with her mega wheels whenever she needs to. “Everyone in Scottsdale drives them because there is tons of space to park all over the city, unlike the situation in congested towns  like San Francisco,” she says.

4. Empowerment

Many of us are looking for power in our powerless lives, and this clearly extends to the road, where big rig envy lets you rule with a small sense of anonymity, especially with that tinted window option. American workers sit in cubicles all day to pay for luxuries like the sport vehicle and a growing number are hiding them from the re-po man. Does fear drive these owners? “You can bring a little suburbia with you when you go the mean streets and pose a threat to everyone around you, and assert your power by not allowing lane changes,” explains Lamar. “Anyone who looks in their rear view mirror will see your grill.”

4. Off Road Use

Commercials featuring minis gliding through water? Nah. Can’t compete with the way  SUV’s are hyped on television. The ads show the picture of the sporty, American life, not being limited by pavement, tearing up some big wheel ruts. And it is a huge draw for weekend warriors who want to get out of Dodge in a Ford Escape and head to the beaches, mountains and other beautiful terrain. “It’s like a ballet for a depraved society,” says one critic.

5. Hauling Cargo

Those without trucks must hire people to lift and haul cargo – or hit up a friend with an SUV. Put the seats down and store your work tools and supplies, Costco economy bundles or toys (skis, snow board, mountain bike). Take home that giant squishy chair you bought on sale at Urban Outfitters. The SUV supports both work and play for many. But the question remains: Is it still okay to drive so much to play?

6. Status

It takes money to buy them and keep the tank fed, and lots of drivers tend to equate the shiny trucks with having arrived, even if it means having arrived on the freeway or at Yosemite’s ritzy Ahwahnee Hote. If you are what you drive, does lugging an SUV make you a sportsman, surfer dude, powerful real estate woman or fierce weekend warrior? Conversely, what does driving a Mini Cooper make you? Clearly, many drivers can’t go there.

7. Hybrid = Eco Option

The introduction of hybrid SUV’s offered even more status to those ready to compromise but not sever their love of trucks. Hybrids are powered by the combo of a gas engine and an electric motor and there have been federal tax benefits offered to those embracing the hybrid technology, which the EPA estimates delivers twice the fuel economy in city driving and nearly double on the highway, along with lower emissions. People can feel hip driving one, like they are doing their part to reduce consumption and fossil fuel emissions.

8. Using them Economically

Some frugal owners clinging to their 1984 Caravans argue there are good ways to green their impossible-to-sell SUV’s. They include driving less and abiding by rules of the road (slowing speeds and brake and gas acceleration), keeping tires inflated and not idling. It could be those employing these methods are doing less damage than hybrid owners who don’t.

9. The “Fun” in Functional

Hummers, Land Rovers, 4-Runners and Land Cruisers have all been added to lists of the “most fun off-road cars” because of attributes like solid suspension, high ground clearance, crawl, action and stability control. The best ones can venture where many other vehicles can’t, and best of all, they look and feel like big toys as they cover rough terrain with ease.  The Mercedes G-Class may rate badly in road tests and on fuel scores, but the car is just so darn adorable. One fan says this Jaguar of jeeps looks like “Herby the Lovebug and a Hummer got a little too friendly.”

10. Beauty and the Beast

In this beauty contest, fuel efficiency might take a back seat to striking good looks. Black SUVs have the largest cache (heck, they’re even in the President’s motorcade) and are common sites in downtowns these days as the choice of “important people.” The Mercedes G-Class may rate badly in road tests and on fuel scores, but the Mercedes emblem is still a yuppie success symbol.

Main Image: About

Images: Amog, Autos.AOL, Edmunds, cargocoach, Mercury Vehicles, The Truth About Cars, Motortrend, blogs.cars

The post Sorry, But I’m Not Driving a Hybrid! 10 Reasons Why Good People Are Sticking with SUVs appeared first on EcoSalon.

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but the excess fruit from a neighbor’s yard can make your diet richer and it won’t cost a dime. Shouldn’t we share the wealth?

That’s the thinking of Neighborhood Fruit, created by San Francisco urban farmers to reduce the tragic waste of fruit, which is forbidden in their vision of sustainability. Their website lets subscribers find and share fruit locally both in backyards and on public lands.

Since planting the seed in June, they’ve attracted between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors a month and located a total of 10,000 trees nationwide and growing.

Much of the fruit the nation consumes is grown in water-intensive orchards far from our homes and shipped at the high cost of fuel. Instead, co-founder Kaytea Petro sees a future where the bulk of seasonal backyard fruit is utilized and shared between neighbors for snacking, baking, putting up organic preserves, even setting up a lemonade stand – any good uses you might have for the bounty.

“I first thought of the idea when I lived on Bernal Hill and my neighbor had an apple tree with a lot of excess fruit that she would never share,” says Petro, who decided to refine the fruit network notion for her graduate thesis at the Presidio School of Management, where she received an MBA in sustainable business.

“We’re a nationwide tool that helps people connect locally,” says Petro. “The typical user is someone with a plum tree who knows what a pain it is when the fruit comes in because it all comes in at once. Those seeking the fruit are into making pies and jams or to show their city kids where food comes from.”

The mechanics of connecting are simple. I register my lemons and oranges and when the fruit arrives, I put out the word on the site. “Come and get it!” I decide if I want to pick it myself or have interested takers come over with their bushels to help pick what they want.

It seems to be attracting those who don’t want to go through the red tape of becoming a registered producer who sells at the farmers’ market, the only way to sell fruit legally.

“It can be a lot of paperwork,” observes Petro, who adds that 25% of her users are people with fruit trees. And for obvious reasons, those with trees in L.A., Miami and Austin see more of a year-round yield than those in Boston and Seattle.

In addition to making connections, Petro and co-founder, Oriana Sarac, manage a monthly newsletter, The Grapevine, featuring the voices of gardeners, bee keepers and other experts in the field, as well as a blog for sharing timely articles, recipes and success stories.

They call their neighbor fruit sharing network Fruitfillment. Anyone who believes in this vision for making use of our abundance knows the ripe concept is fulfilling a mission, indeed.

Images: DieselDemon, Seph Swain, Neighborhood Fruit

The post Forget Borrowing a Cup of Sugar When Neighbors Are Giving Away Fruit! appeared first on EcoSalon.

Kaiser Permanente is prescribing big doses of sustainability in the sixth season of its $50 million Thrive ad campaign.

Two new ads – Emerald Cities and Connected – reinforce the health care provider’s commitment to the planet by dramatically reducing paper use – no small task for an industry long married to countless charts and forms. For most of us, being ordered to “Fill this out” is as rote as, “Hop on the scale,” and just as painful.

The Emerald pitch describes how Kaiser is allowing patients access to their own medical data via Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect, the world’s largest civilian electronic health record.

Not just a handy core tool for patients, the online system is apparently saving thousands of trees annually. And, as of September 2009, Kaiser estimates its members completed six million doctor’s visits without using one gallon of gasoline. Guess they got the help they were seeking by going online.

“We will be entirely paperless by 2010 and these ads illustrate how we are doing our part in some way to help the environment,” I’m told by Lisa Ryan, Director of National Advertising at Kaiser. “Having a healthy environment creates a healthy community that helps individuals thrive.”

In these appealing ads, actress Allison Janney, the KP spokeswoman since 2004, drives home the point in her now familiar, smooth-as-a-surgical-glove delivery:

“By putting an end to paper medical records, we have ushered health into the digital age.”

To paraphrase the tagline: I think that I shall never see, a 62-page medical report as lovely as a tree.

“Our ode to trees talks to the fact that when you have online capabilities and a way to connect, it  does eliminate the need to drive to a facility or to an office visit,” says Ryan.

The Connected spot highlights the convenience of securely e-mailing your doctor, checking your medical records, reviewing test results and booking appointments online. This spares not just trees but the stress of being forced to listen to bad “music” after being placed on hold the second your doctor’s receptionist answer the line.

Kaiser clinicians are digitally connected to each other, which ultimately helps them stay connected to  members. The closing line of the ad summarizes, “At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that if knowledge is power, shared knowledge is even more powerful.”

Personally, I have struggled to attain the elusive power of shared knowledge while advocating for loved ones at hospitals where overworked, impatient doctors seemed agitated when pressed for too much info. Getting them to return phone calls was even harder. Then again, my family doesn’t use Kaiser. Maybe their doctors are more generous.

“Our primary care physicians are at center of who we are and we have great accessibility in person, on the phone and email,” says Ryan. “Ive had great experience with my own doc whom I have spoken to on the phone and through email. All of our new alternative ways to reach out and stay connected really help.”

I was glad to see the green connection extends to its Thrive website, which give readers tips on being “thriving communities” by buying locally-grown food, using fewer shopping bags, making their own cleaning supplies and avoiding exposure to chemicals in the home.

Ryan told me all of this effort, including the ad campaign, has been an extension of proven sustainability practices at Kaiser’s newly-built facilities, such as centers in Modesto and Santa Clara, using solar panels, pavement treatments to recycle run off water and friendly denim material in the walls as green insulation.

“The advertising is a great bridge between the sustainability message and the innovation of who we are,” Ryan  says. “It was a huge undertaking to go digital and to retrain the care staff, but it all speaks to our overall concern with the health of individuals and the community. ”

Prior to the green thrust, Kaiser treated us to daily ads on prevention, reminding our unhealthy nation that the more we exercise, eat well and get screened for diseases, the less we will have to spend on health care.

I think the ads resonate with the radio-listening masses facing poor health along with a poor health care system that has yet to be reformed.

With $50 million invested in the message, let’s hope Kaiser proves to be one of the needed cures.

Images: Kaiser Permanente, Wiki

The post Kaiser Permanente: Save Trees and Thrive appeared first on EcoSalon.

This is the third in Luanne’s new lifestyle column, Life in the Green Lane. Read the inaugural column, “The Pros & Cons of Being Married to an Eco Man” and the follow-up, “Why Is it So Hard to Get My Mom to Go Green?”.

My dog has fleece. And that’s not all. There are dozens of reasons why this impossibly adorable pug is leaving behind a puny carbon paw print.

If you consider dogs part of the family then it’s important they’re pulling their weight in the eco department along with the rest of us.

My little Smokey may not be as earthy as those drooling, stick- fetching, shaggy water dogs you see at Ocean Beach. But he plunges into nature pretty darn well for a pampered, toy breed favored by Tibetan monks, Chinese emperors and 16th century European royalty.

Plus, he’s a champion chick  magnet. I can’t take him anywhere without hormonal, puppy-loving teenage girls gushing over what looks to them to be a huge stuffed pet. Their devoted boyfriends stand by while they give up some love to my guy. “Ohhh, is that your pug? Can I pet him? What’s his name? OMG, he’s sooooo cute!”

Okay, so being a magnet doesn’t earn you an LEED certification, but these other things count – things you won’t learn at obedience school.

Here’s why my dog is cuter..I mean greener…than lots of other dogs.

1. Carpools on Playdates

Smokey gets picked up for his group, The Littles, a couple of days a week, and this has helped him become the socialized, refined gentleman neighbors invite over for biscuits and tea. Also, his owner (me) is saving fuel by not driving him myself.

2. Named for the Bear

Every time we call out his name, “Smokey, stop eating those Bounce sheets,” people are reminded of that famous ranger bear Smokey who first appeared in 1952 to get clueless cigarette smokers and weekend campers on a campaign to prevent wildfires. My mother argues he should be named Oliver or Churchill or something that goes with brandy and a cigar. But Smokey was already named when our babysitter gave him to us ’cause she was moving and couldn’t keep him.

2. Reuses Everyday Household Objects

A savvy consumer not taken in by the notion that new is best, Smokey forgoes the fancy, synthetic dog bed for a cozy laundry bag or basket filled with warm sheets and socks. Good boy! That’s my good green dog! However, his favorite mount is our laps and that costs nothing at all and we like it because he is so lovable and sweet.

3.  Maintains a Strict  Organic Diet

We feed him Newman’s Own organic pet food, as well as organic kibble and free range chicken broth in a reusable stainless steel dog dish. Occasionally, we let him have a treat, such as organic string cheese, which was a great training aid for prompting him to sit, lie down and stop eating Bounce Free sheets.

4.  Walks the Walk

Smokey is an avid walker who adores cruising to a nearby playground or hiking at Fort Funston. Walking keeps him fit (pugs have a tendency to pack on the pounds) and also calms him down. Walking is great for me, too, and for pet owners like you! Besides, Smokey gets rather nervous riding in cars. He insists on having the windows rolled all the way down and whimpers uncontrollably until we arrive at our destination. My husband is the same way.

5.  Wears Made-in-the-USA

Whether starring in a 4th of July parade in Sonoma or escorting his sisters on Halloween, Smokey wears locally-made garb, from patriotic bandanas to harnesses and muscle shirts. He feels we import too many toxic toys and products from China, and although he springs from the Asian culture and resembles the Foo Dog in looks and stature, it all stops there.

6. Creates a Warm Fur-ness

If you can sleep through the intense snoring (being hit over the head with a large mallet can help) then you don’t need to turn up the heat on a cold night in San Francisco. When Smokey stomps on your ribs and flops down on you or near you, it’s like a natural furnace that keeps you toasty all night. Just ask old Audrey. She likes to hang with Mr. Smokes for sunny afternoon cat naps. Audrey showed him who is boss from the very start, but now she needs him. Oh, yes she does, girl.

8. Prefers Biodegradable Pooper Scooper Bags

He won’t tolerate any other sort of bag for scooping up his shit. Funny, that’s one of the reasons I love him so. I once tried to pick up a poop using a plastic grocery bag and boy did he yelp. He likes that Bio Bags are made with planet friendly corn that breaks down. We use bio bags for composting, too.

9. Is Never, Ever Wasteful

Kids might kvetch, “there’s nothing to eat,” but Smokey never takes that stance because he will eat just about anything that resembles food. While I’m preparing his meal, he cries and dances manically in a circle, a tribal dance reminiscent of Native American rituals praising the buffalo. If a scrap falls on the floor, he laps it up. If he feels the compost we set aside could be more useful as a snack, then he asserts himself like a good steward of the planet should. And if Audrey won’t finish her own breakfast, Smokey recycles that into his dessert.

10. Conserves Energy

Like the best hybrid, Smokey is efficient at conserving fuel. Here he is after completing a five mile course along the Great Highway bike path. He parked his tired pug ass on the sofa for a snooze before dinner.  After dinner, he usually rests until his late night walk with dad. Then he parks it until breakfast.

OMG! My pug is sooooo cute!

Images: Luanne Bradley

The post 10 Reasons Why the Planet Loves My Dog appeared first on EcoSalon.

“Sara! Want new SmartCar? Txt yes or no quick!”

Such a text message from your mother might be odd in some families, but not in mine (Mom sells cars faster than bootleg Louis Vuittons and also wields a mean text thumb). I didn’t hesitate. “Yes! Pics!”

I didn’t need a test drive. I’d been tooling around in an old, albeit fun, Jeep for several years. Well, fun when I lived in Pacific Palisades, California and a big day was driving to the beach four blocks away. My first winter in San Francisco with a canvas-topped Jeep – make that my first summer in San Francisco – was an exercise in austerity. I guess I was going for that weathered ski bunny look or at least that’s what I’ll claim in my memoirs. After some nine months of driving in all manner of weather with the plastic windows rolled up a boyfriend helpfully pointed out that they come down. Aha! That’s what those big, dangling zipper pulls were for! Who knew?

Weirdly, the Tesla roadster is not yet in my budget, so I’d resigned myself to driving my Jeep until the wheels fell off and simply parking a generous mile or three away from any green event I attended when the lucky text came.

Lest you have any worries about the safety of the SmartCar, let me assure you, it’s super sturdy. I know this because my mother managed to get into a wreck before I even took possession of my new car. Wasn’t that nice of her to test it out? To be fair, the collision wasn’t her fault. The guy in the SUV was just confused. Didn’t she know the golf course was two turns back?

This being a SmartCar, they don’t really have replacement bumpers just lying around, so I had to wait nearly a month for the damaged caboose to be repaired. (Mom emerged unscathed, caboose intact.)

Accident now out of the way, I made the trek to the homestead in Washington to pick up my little bean and bring it back to the Bay. And I have to tell you, the people you meet at gas stations and rest stops sure are caring folks. I’ve never before felt the likes of such popularity or perhaps I should say, worry.

Parked flush with our publisher’s hybrid Honda

More than once: “Are you safe in that thing?”

Chewing lower lip with concern: “Is that allowed on the freeway?” (We’ll find out!)

The polite: “How much did you pay for…that?”

And the distinctly thoughtful: “What is that?”

That, I’ll have you know, buzzed down the five at 75 mph all the way home with no trouble at all save for a few belches from semi-trucks.

Now, the Smart is what I would call an “active driving experience” – think a stubborn 3 Series. If you like being the boss of your hunk of steel as opposed to rolling over pavement like a stale marshmallow you’ll enjoy the way the Smart handles. What you may or may not enjoy are the looks. And chuckles. And pointing. And being flagged down from three blocks away by really cute men. Which finger you display all depends upon your personality and relationship status.

Smarty has some surprises up its cage. I call it the “Alice in Wonderland effect”. While resembling a glorified jujubee on the outside, the thing is damn near cavernous inside. I wouldn’t say it’s palatial on a scale of the Hummer, but the interior is so roomy you soon forget you’re in half a car. Of course, if you need a reminder just look in the backseat. Kidding! There isn’t one.

The Alice effect is so pronounced you’ll want to be extra alert – I have to remind myself every time I drive that just because I can dart in and out of traffic like a Tonka Toy on Red Bull doesn’t mean I should. This is a car for defensive drivers only. That said, it’s very solid for its size at 1800 pounds, earned a 5-star safety rating, and of course it’s loaded to the crannies with airbags. In other words, this is a blowfish waiting to happen.

Other features include a non-retractable “panorama” sun roof that is virtually the entire top of the vehicle (think Jurassic Park but without the dinosaur part) and lots of clever storage spots and witty accents for design geeks to love. True, the spare tire may be ridiculous, but the engine’s in the trunk – how cool is that? You won’t have much use for such convenient placement, however, as even after two road trips the machine didn’t sip so much as a drop from its two-quart oil well. (Oh, the satisfying sentence this writer has to forgo because they couldn’t make it pint-sized. Wholeness eludes my post – and let’s be honest here, my soul – once again.)

My model, the Passion, is the less pricey version but still comes pretty well-equipped with leather, daytime running lights, AC and tiptronic shift control. And being a web marketing gal, I appreciate the cool social network, Destination Smart, that doesn’t suck a digital egg, unlike Chevy’s Voltage. (I always loved MINI cooper’s marketing but never did fork over the cash.)

For a 1.0 liter, 70 horse, 3-cylinder car, there’s a pleasing amount of get-up-and-go. It’s not my turbo Volvo T5 of yesteryear, but one could call it zippy with a straight face. The only thing that took some getting used to for this stick-shift girl was the oddball gear transitioning: it’s an automated manual transmission. After two months of ownership, though, I only really notice the shift lag when my espresso bean is puffing up to the crest of Franklin. My friend, Nancy, likes to pat Smarty’s dash and say, “Come on, you can do it!” If you want more power, you can go with the BRABUS model (BRABUS as in Mercedes, the maker of SmartCar; there’s also the starter model, Pure, as well as the new cabriolet).

Already in need of a bath…

Anyone who has had to fork over $30 for parking in San Francisco can appreciate the Smart. While I have yet to perform a perpendicular parking job, the bean has been invaluable for errands and evenings out in the city. San Francisco, by design, has an abundance of short curbs between townhouse driveways that are often empty as only motorcycles and sub-compacts have a prayer of fitting in. But these almost-spaces are perfect for Smarty!

And oh, the gas mileage. I go weeks without filling up and look back fondly on my trips to Napa and, yes, the South Bay. Thanks to a respectable sound system and supportive seats with butt warmers even jaunts to San Jose are dreamy. I do get pulled over by cops quite a bit more now (what, you don’t?), but then I also get out of the tickets so it kind of works out!

Moving along. Road trip numero uno under my belt for the grand total of $35 in gas (Smarty’s tiny tank takes premium only, baby), I thought, where to next?

Westside girl and EcoSalon writer, Kim, had her birthday at the beginning of July, so it was off to LA for me. Despite all the heels and dresses and handbags five days in Los Angeles requires, the Smart has surprisingly ample storage. So at the last minute I thought, what the hell, I’m bringing the cat. I’m sure she’ll be as thrilled as I to see the old stomping grounds, right? Besides, cats love long car rides almost as much as they like being deposited for slumber parties with dogs at your buddy’s SoCal house. It’s one, big happy family!

My cat, Roo, on the road…

Roo upon learning she’ll be staying with dogs.

There’s no rating standard for this at Consumer Reports, but I’ve never seen a cat or rather my cat behave so well on a road trip. I mean, I’m not in the cats-on-road-trips business or anything, but surely this counts in Smart’s favor. Roo, a queenly Maine Coon, curled up in her carrier the entire way sans sedative, only occasionally popping her large, fluffy head out to remind me that I was in the presence of greatness.

Unfortunately, once in LA I took a curve on Sunset a tad too sharply, causing her to tumble out – of the carrier, relax! – and having figured out that she was not actually confined to her travel case, all subsequent driving was less than festive. The psychological jig was up. Ever tried putting a cat back into anything? Pandora had it easier. Once again, kudos to the SmartCar’s handling.

Two big road trips for a mere Benjamin later, I love my Smart even more. The only problem is that now I want to drive everywhere. Meet me for mojitos at the Parker in Palm Springs? I do have a birthday coming up!

Images: Claire Gordon, Sara Ost

The post 1 Cat, 2 Road Trips, & an Accident: Adventures in My SmartCar appeared first on EcoSalon.